A simulation study of photovoltaic thermal using phase change material

Muhammad Ibrahim, Ahmad Syahir (2022) A simulation study of photovoltaic thermal using phase change material. Project Report. Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Melaka, Malaysia. (Submitted)

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Abstract

Photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems have arisen as a critical study topic in recent years, owing to the world's growing energy need. Phase change materials (PCMs) are regarded as the optimal materials for efficiently harvesting thermal energy from renewable energy sources. However, today's PCMs have a significant disadvantage in terms of thermal conductivity. Over the last several years, there has been an upsurge in study targeted at fixing the issue. Thermal conductivity increases the amount of heat stored and extracted during the melting and solidification processes. Besides, parameters such as the thickness of the PCM, the types of PCM, and the effect of the melting temperature can also affect the performance of the PVT/PCM system. Hence, a simulation study using ANSYS FLUENT has been done to investigate the effect of thickness and properties of PCM for weather conditions in Malaysia. The best PCM types and thickness for this model are also selected. The thermal and electrical efficiency of the system is also studied in this report. Based on the results, Lauric Acid has the best thermal and electrical efficiency when PCM thickness increases. An optimum thickness of 30 mm is selected for Lauric Acid as it shows the best results compared to all other PCMs in this study.

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